2023 Napa Valley Merlot
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Tasting notes
Based on 90% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 2% Malbec and aged 18 months in 100% new French oak, the 2023 Merlot offers up an outstanding bouquet of black cherries, graphite, spicy wood, and incense. Medium-bodied, with a round, supple mouthfeel and a great finish, this delicious, balanced, impeccably made Merlot will keep for 10-15 years. Drink 2025-2040.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jeb Dunnuck
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Shafer fans will be delighted to learn that the Merlot is back with the 2023. Bright acids lift a core of red fruit and blood orange. This cool-toned, refreshing Merlot is an absolute delight. Readers will find a wine of total sophistication. Drink it over the next handful of years.
The 2023 Merlot matured exclusively in new French oak barrels, giving its black cherry fruit a veneer of subtle mocha and cedar shadings. At 15.3% alcohol, it's full-bodied but also rather tart, the acids giving the palate a more streamlined shape and accentuating the otherwise soft tannins on the finish.
About the producer
The site of Shafer has been around since 1880, and grapes continued to be grown here, even during prohibition. It is said that some wine was made here during that time. In 1972, John Shafer bought the property in the Stag’s Leap district, he immediately began planting the Cabernet on the hillside.